Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to tackle child poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33286/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The elimination of poverty is a key objective of Government and the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 (NAPSincl) includes a target to reduce the number of people experiencing consistent poverty to between 2 and 4 per cent by 2012, with the aim of eliminating consistent poverty by 2016. Consistent poverty is the Government's official measure of poverty. People are in consistent poverty if their household income is below 60% of median income (at-risk-of-poverty) and they are living in a household experiencing two or more items of basic deprivation, out of an 11 item list. The NAPSincl target is restated in the National Reform Programme 2010, which sets out Ireland's commitments to achieving the poverty target in the Europe 2020 Strategy.

Tackling child poverty is a priority for the Government and a key goal of NAPSincl. Four-fifths of those in consistent poverty are found in households with children and 8.7 per cent of children (96,000 in absolute numbers) were in consistent poverty in 2009. Factors contributing to childhood poverty include living in lone parent households, labour market inactivity, low educational attainment and living in households dependent on income support.

A review of the national poverty target, arising out of the deliberations in drawing up the National Reform Programme, is currently underway. It will enable the Government to adopt appropriate and achievable national poverty targets to meet Ireland's contribution to Europe 2020 and the commitments in the Programme for Government. The Department also contributes to wider efforts to address child poverty, for example by inputting into the implementation of the National Children's Strategy and taking part in a review of that strategy.

The overriding objective for the Government is to increase employment and build real and sustainable economic growth and to protect those who are most vulnerable in our society. The Government Programme sets out the framework to achieve these aims. Employment opportunities will be increased through labour market activation, skills training and education measures. In general, the best route out of income poverty is through sustainable and stable paid employment. It is recognised that work, and especially full-time work, may not be an option for parents of young children. However, it is believed that supporting parents to participate in the labour market, once their children have reached an appropriate age, will improve their own economic situation and contribute to the wider well-being of themselves and of their families.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the social protection system remains a strong support for people against the impact of the economic and fiscal downturn. Government targets in the area of financial support for low-income families continue to be met. One of the high level goals relating to children in NAPsincl is to maintain the combined value of child income support measures at 33-35 per cent of the minimum adult social welfare payment rate over the course of the plan. The value of the combined child income supports measures (child benefit plus qualified child increases) in both Budget 2010 and Budget 2011 was equivalent to 33 per cent of the main working age payment rates.

A value for money review of child income support policies and associated programmes was published by the Department in November 2010, with some follow-up work including a consultation seminar to gather the views of stakeholders as to the future direction of policy on these payments. The issue of family and child income supports is currently being examined by the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare, which was established last June. The Group has been tasked with recommending cost-effective solutions as to how employment disincentives can be improved and better poverty outcomes achieved, particularly child poverty outcomes.